Introduction to Whistleblowing Law
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the executive and the legislative arms of government to push for the enactment of a whistleblowing law, to strengthen the fight against corruption in the country. The CSOs – African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at a one-day capacity development workshop on public interest disclosure and accountability.
The Need for a Whistleblowing Law
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised in partnership with the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), for Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Dr Chido Onumah, Coordinator, AFRICMIL, said the call for a whistleblowing law had become expedient considering the increasing level of corruption in the society, especially in the public service. “Our goal is to support the government to produce citizens who embrace whistleblowing as a permanent transformative culture and use it to expose corrupt practices and other illegalities that are harmful to public interest,” he said.
Current Challenges
Onumah said that they were already working with different partners in the six geo-political zones of the country to ensure that the goal of enacting a whistleblowing law was achieved. “We are now working with MDAs to get them up to speed with the whistleblowing policy of the Nigerian government that was introduced in December 2016. So much happened between when that policy was introduced and today; we don’t have a whistleblower law and a lot of whistleblowers face retaliation when they make public interest disclosures in their MDAs.”
Protection for Whistleblowers
According to Onumah, the biggest incentive to people speaking out (whistleblowing), is the law. “We did a survey five years ago, to know why the zeal people have in speaking up dropped, after huge disclosures, when whistleblowing was introduced, we discovered that the more people reported, the more they faced retaliation in their offices. So, people felt that self interest was the most important thing; they won’t want to report wrongdoing and then get punished for that. I think that the way to go is to have a whistleblower law in the country, so that people are protected and confident to speak up, so that they don’t get sacked when they see something and say something.”
Call to Action
He regretted that out of about 500 MDAs in the country, only about 20 have whistleblowing policies. Mr Abdul Mahmud, President, Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL), urged MDAs to set up a whistleblowing desk, for workers to make disclosures. He called for stiffer punishments of anyone who retaliated against any worker who made disclosures against any corrupt individual.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the call for a whistleblowing law is a necessary step in the fight against corruption in the country. The protection of whistleblowers is crucial in ensuring that they are confident to speak up without fear of retaliation. The government and relevant stakeholders must work together to enact a whistleblowing law that will provide a safe and enabling environment for whistleblowers.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of a whistleblowing law?
A: The purpose of a whistleblowing law is to provide protection for individuals who report corrupt practices and other illegalities, and to encourage them to speak up without fear of retaliation.
Q: How many MDAs have whistleblowing policies in Nigeria?
A: Only about 20 out of 500 MDAs in Nigeria have whistleblowing policies.
Q: What is the role of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in promoting transparency and accountability?
A: The BPSR has played a pivotal role in promoting transparency and accountability within the public sector, and has convened workshops to promote public interest disclosure and accountability.
Q: What is the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011?
A: The FOI Act 2011 is a landmark legislation that empowered citizens, promoted openness in governance, and ensured access to public information.
Source: nannews.ng
